1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a jaw slide for coupling and holding portions of a moveable frame and more particularly to apparatus for coupling swingable frame members, which are rectangular in cross-section, of a collapsible and extensible convertible boat top frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objects
Frame structures for supporting a flexible material for a marine vehicle convertible roof to protect a vehicle occupant area have been provided heretofore. U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,016 issued to Gerold B. Hansen on Apr. 15, 1986 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,782 issued to Franklin R. Lacey on May 22, 1990 are illustrative of such boat top canopies. The prior art frame structures typically include a plurality of inverted U-shaped, hollow, tubular frame members which are pivotally coupled to each other for relative swinging movement between collapsed positions, when the convertible top is down, and spread positions, when the convertible top is up.
Apparatus has been provide heretofore for releasably holding the U-shaped tubular boat frame members in the spread or extended positions and have included a plurality of rigid spreaders which span the uppermost cross bars of the inverted U-shaped frame bar members.
The opposite ends of each prior art spreaders are coupled to the uppermost cross-bars via slides which have round or circular openings therethrough for receiving and sliding frame bars which are circular in cross-section. The prior art slides are pivotally coupled to opposite ends of each spreader bar. As the frame bars are swung toward and away from each other, the prior art slides, which are pivotally coupled to the frame bar, axially slide along the round boat frame bars to which they are coupled. As the prior art slides are longitudinally moved on the frame bars, the spreader bar also rotates relative to the slide and the round frame bars.
Flaccid straps have been utilized to couple boat top frame members together but such straps do not slide along the boat frame members as they are swung.
It has been found desireable to utilize boat frame members which are rectangular, and preferrably square, in cross-section. The prior art slides, which include circular apertures therethrough, cannot be utilized on tubular frame bars having rectangular cross sections. Merely manufacturing the prior art slides with square apertures does not solve the problem because the slide must be constructed so as to allow the spreader bar to rotate relative to the convertible tubular frame bars as it slides along the frame bar. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a slide adapted to a frame bar which is non-circular in cross-section.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a slide for releasably coupling a swingable frame bar, which is rectangular in cross-section.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jaw slide having a bushing provided with a non-circular opening therethrough for slidably receiving a moveable frame member having a non-circular cross-section and a bearing member journalling the bushing for rotation relative thereto.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a spreader for releasably holding relatively swingable convertible top frame members, having a square cross-section, in spread positions but being slideable thereon to allow the frame members to collapse.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide jaw slide apparatus of the type described including a bushing which includes a pair of semi-cylindrical tubes having opposing, semi-rectangular openings therethrough for slidably receiving a rectangular frame part of a convertible boat top or the like.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a jaw slide including a coupling member having a pair of jaws disposed on opposite sides of a bearing provided with a non-circular opening therethrough that slidably receives a swingable frame bar.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.